80 replies to this topic

[J0anna]

Mcgral18 hit the nail on the head, 3xSSRM, 2xLasers + ecm will probably make it's way into my drop deck. As for the others, 2xERPPC's should be doable, Gauss 3ML's, think of shadowhawk builds you like and you'll probably be able to get very close to them.

The release of the Shadowcat and the Artic Cheetah will certainly shake up my CW drop deck.

[bad arcade kitty]

Moenrg, on 11 July 2015 - 07:38 AM, said:

Mcgral18 hit the nail on the head, 3xSSRM, 2xLasers + ecm will probably make it's way into my drop deck.

did you see many adders with 4 ssrm-6?

[Greenjulius]

bad arcade kitty, on 11 July 2015 - 07:40 AM, said:

did you see many adders with 4 ssrm-6?

Yeah, but Adders don't have Magic Jesus Box. MJB can make mediocre mechs stronk.

[Ovion]

Macster16, on 28 February 2015 - 01:28 AM, said:

Spoiler

Ok before anybody jumps on my back, this is not a "DOA" topic. I understand we haven't even got a visual representation of the Shadow Cat beyond a silhouette, let alone other important factors such as scale and hitboxes which can make or break a mech. But doing some theoretical speculation going off the details we have so far, I'm struggling to come up with a build that could make the Shadow Cat beyond a mid tier chassis.

I've taken its details and thrown it into SSW. Once maxing out armor, it appears to have a decent 16Ts or so of podspace free, which is not bad for a clan 45 tonner. Also, the 270xl is also a good engine size for it that I feel is just right - not too big that it takes up too much tonnage and not too small that it's too slow. It's a good engine to have for a 45 tonner.

Now where the glaring limitation lies is the fact that it can only carry a max of 3 energy hardpoints at once which in my eyes can really hurt this chassis. Often what makes up the bread-and-butter of a lighter mech's armament are small-mid lasers which the Shadow Cat will not adequately be able to boat. It's limited tonnage unfortunately also means it will struggle to equip more than one "big" energy weapon and enough heatsinks to adequately cool them which leaves it between a rock and a hard place when it comes to making an energy-based build out of it.

Through my theorycrafting on SSW, I've so far only managed to formulate 2 builds that I think could potentially be effective:

- 2 LL + 6mgs. Problem here is this requires scoring the bonus P variant, so it will not be accessible to many for some time. It also has to pass on ECM and mgs are still mgs. I'm not sure how much of a good idea facehugging at 200 metres is in a 45T mech is afterall. It may work on the Ember, but that's because of lolhitboxes....

- SRM bomber. 3 SRM hardpoints with 2 energy backup weaps should do for a 45 tonner. Couple with ECM and JJ maneuverability, I can see it being used for SRMs fairly regularly.

I would like to know what other people's theoretical builds are and what they think could potentially bring out the most of the Shadow Cat.

Now, without reading the rest of the topic:

Sensibly kitted out, you'll be look at a bas of:
288pts of Armour
6JJ
16.5T Free
Roughly 23 Crit Slots

You have the options of:
LA - 1E
LA - 1E
LA - 1E, 1M
LA - 3B

LT - 1 AMS
LT - 1 ECM
LT 1 - 3B

RT - 1E
RT - 1M

RA - 1B
RA - 1E
RA - 1E, 1M
RA - 1B

The most common builds will likely be along the lines of:
3 ERLL, ECM, maybe with some SRMs or more likely extra heat sinks.
ECM, LPL, 2 MPL, 2SRM
ECM, lasers, 3SRM

2LPL + 6MG
1LPL + 7MG

Gauss boat
PPC boat

I want to try:
6 and 7 MG builds.
LBX of some flavour
SRM pulse hunter
LRMs for a giggle

Edited by Ovion, 11 July 2015 - 09:09 AM.

[Templar Dane]

When the rest of wave 3 comes out I'll likely do.......

Whale + EBJ + arctic cheater + scat

The scat I'll probably do UAC10 + 3 medium lasers.

Pretty much every mech I use is ballistic centric with laser backup.

[J0anna]

bad arcade kitty, on 11 July 2015 - 07:40 AM, said:

did you see many adders with 4 ssrm-6?

Yes I've seem some, but:

1) This will be faster
2) This has Jump jets and MASC
3) This has ecm
4) This appears to have nothing but high weapon mounts
5) It has backup weapons
6) Dropping from a Stormcrow to this allows an upgrade from an HBR or EBJ to a Timberwolf, same as an adder (only the brain dead would upgrade to a Gargoyle)
7) You can run an all ecm deck with this (3xHBR, 1xShadow Cat)

It (and the Artic Cheetah) will add some real variety to most drop decks.

[ScarecrowES]

If you think of the SCat as a large light instead of a medium, the build possibilities make more sense for it. I think you should expect it to be running builds similar to the Raven... sniper, missile/laser, ballistic w/backup, etc. The builds fall into typical archetypes, so there's not a lot of room for flexibility in design, but at least each of your variants can run distinctly useful builds, rather than variations on a single theme.

[Kain Demos]

It has identical pod space as the adder, but ECM is a must so really a ton less. That means my Gauss, 3t ammo, 3 x CERSL build is out......long range energy sniper is probably what I will do. 2 x CLPL and some DHS may be the first up.

[Greenjulius]

Kain Demos, on 11 July 2015 - 04:15 PM, said:

It has identical pod space as the adder, but ECM is a must so really a ton less. That means my Gauss, 3t ammo, 3 x CERSL build is out......long range energy sniper is probably what I will do. 2 x CLPL and some DHS may be the first up.

2xLPL with ECM is definitely a good, obvious build to mimic an upscaled Kitfox or big RVN-3L.

3xMPL, 2xSRM6+A with ECM will make a solid finisher.

3xMPL, 2xSSRM6 with ECM will make a great light killer. I know I wouldn't want to run into it.

Those 1E/1M arms will definitely get lots of use.

Edited by Greenjulius, 11 July 2015 - 07:08 PM.

[bad arcade kitty]

Greenjulius, on 11 July 2015 - 07:07 PM, said:

3xMPL, 2xSSRM6 with ECM will make a great light killer. I know I wouldn't want to run into it.

you may run 1 ppc + 2 ssrm-6 with ecm kit fox right now btw :3

[Templar Dane]

I can see fans of the dual erppc novas digging a dual erppc + MGs scat.

[dragnier1]

ScarecrowES, on 11 July 2015 - 03:25 PM, said:

If you think of the SCat as a large light instead of a medium

I think the Ice Fridge fits this description more than the "Scat". Too slow to be a "large light" imo

Ovion, on 11 July 2015 - 09:08 AM, said:

I want to try:
6 and 7 MG builds.
LBX of some flavour
SRM pulse hunter
LRMs for a giggle

I'm also considering LBX, it's good for quick hit and fade tactics. Might try 6-7 MG too, i don't think 3 MG builds would cut it...

[bad arcade kitty]

shcat will probably an amazing ecm lrm boat

[Mcgral18]

bad arcade kitty, on 11 July 2015 - 08:30 PM, said:

shcat will probably an amazing ecm lrm boat

Amazing? It can do LRM30+A alright, but a single dual AMS mech can neuter that completely, and completely outclassed by the 4J (but what isn't?).

I think it had TAG and 2 ERMLs, with ~5 tons of ammo and ECM? Something like that.

[Night Thastus]

7x MG + 1x LPL
Yep
Went there.

[bad arcade kitty]

Mcgral18, on 11 July 2015 - 08:51 PM, said:

Amazing? It can do LRM30+A alright, but a single dual AMS mech can neuter that completely, and completely outclassed by the 4J (but what isn't?).

I think it had TAG and 2 ERMLs, with ~5 tons of ammo and ECM? Something like that.

ecm though

[Funkin Disher]

I'll definitely be running 2 LPL, and ill probably give 2 PPC a try as well. I'm practicing with adders for it.
My secondary builds will probably be an ASRM + laser build and a UAC/10 + laser build
Jesus boxes for all of course.

Edited by Funkin Disher, 11 July 2015 - 10:56 PM.

[One Medic Army]

I'm debating trying for a mid-long range harasser with LPL(torso)+2ERML(arms)+2LRM5+ECM.

I imagine the clan version of the 2x ERLL Raven 3L will be very popular, 2xCLPLs with ECM and possibly backup guns.

[edit] After some messing around in SSW, I think I'll try:
2x ERML, LPL, LRM15 (1t), SRM6 (1t).

Edited by One Medic Army, 12 July 2015 - 12:19 AM.

[Kain Demos]

Funkin Disher, on 11 July 2015 - 10:31 PM, said:

I'll definitely be running 2 LPL, and ill probably give 2 PPC a try as well. I'm practicing with adders for it.
My secondary builds will probably be an ASRM + laser build and a UAC/10 + laser build
Jesus boxes for all of course.

I thought about 2 x CERPPCs.....but then remembered it won't have the quirks the Adder does.

[Funkin Disher]

Kain Demos, on 12 July 2015 - 01:12 AM, said:

I thought about 2 x CERPPCs.....but then remembered it won't have the quirks the Adder does.

Slightly less bad than before the PPC speed increase in the last patch, but if its possible in a crow itll be possible in a cat. I dont expect it to be very friendly but itll be fun to try a duall PPC ECM jumper with MASC for getaways. Even down a couple heatsinks that more then makes up for it.

But 2 LPL will be far more forgiving, so thatllbe more popular